Terrified
Posted , 17 users are following.
Okay, I'm pretty sure this is menopause, but I'm still scared. I've had a lot of the weird symptoms mentioned here by others: hot flashes, night sweats, racing pulse, pain in left shoulder and tingling in left arm, sciatica-type pain from the lower back down, stiffness between shoulder blades, trouble breathing, rib pain, head pressure, bloating, tingly lips, crying easily, and probably some I've forgotten. I've been hit with all of this in just the last three weeks. My earliest symptoms were just like a heart attack. I ended up in the ER, but the tests say my heart is fine. My blood pressure and cholesterol are elevated, and my doctor suggested I go on medication for those, but I wanted to see if diet and exercise would fix it first. Now I'm afraid I should have tried the meds first. I've missed two periods now, but what if I have menopause and an imminent heart attack happening at the same time? I had no idea menopause had all these possible symptoms!
1 like, 14 replies
CarolKelso crazybroad
Posted
Hi there
it is awful scary and you are not alone...ive had the same as you and it can be terrifying as our bodies are transitioning through this....hang tight as you are not alone....
click on this link or copy into your browser. Hang tight. CK..https://patient.info/forums/discuss/66-peri-menopause-menopause-symptoms-you-may-experience-which-may-help-some-ladies-271903.
Sassyr12a crazybroad
Posted
Hi love
It definitely can be terrifying but the 2 things will be seperate. If the doctor thought your levels of BP and cholesterol were too high they would have insisted you take medication. Just seems that menopause doesn't help any symptoms you have. Try and split the 2 issues, to alleviate your short term worry with your heart etc, take the meds. You can always work on the diet and exercise and come off them, but it will take one worry away. With the menopause, gets some bloods done and find out. It sounds the same as we have all experienced but the biggest thing for you if to take some action. Find out what it is/isn't and at least you can have a plan and reduce the stress..... You may still feel wretched but at least you'll know what's making you feel that way and you will have options. I'm 43 and been on bhrt since March and feel much much better. You will too love, just try not to worry about the stuff outside of your control, and grab hold of the things that are. We are here for you ♥
Guest crazybroad
Edited
Hi there. I've been there and know exactly what you are going through. When things crashed, they crashed hard for me. And all these symptoms coincided with my periods changing. It is all related. If you are worried about your heart go to a cardiologist. I have a feeling all will be normal, but at least it will help with the anxiety. I had a stress test, ECG, and wore a holter monitor. All was normal, even though I had been in the ER numerous times convinced I was having a heart attack. My BP was always very low all my life, but it was elevated and my cholesterol also went up. My heart rate was always over 99 and that was even when I would wake up first thing in the morning.
I also had gastritis, severe frozen shoulder, visual disturbances, flu like malaise, fatigue, bad ovarian and breast cysts, brain zaps, shaking/tremors, cold intolerance, trouble breathing in, awful mid back pain next to my left shoulder blade, headaches, vertigo, joint/muscle pain, burning feet, depression, anxiety, omg I could go on and on. It's truly amazing what depleting hormones can do to a body.
Is it any wonder we all think we are dying? It got so bad for me that I went back to spend time with my family in my old home town because I thought I didn't have long for this earth. That was two summers ago.
It will start getting better, but could get worse first. Just try to hang in there, don't let anxiety get the better of you. Don't google symptoms (trust me on this one!). Support your immune system the best you can. For spotting and sleep, natural progesterone cream helped me. And it just took time. I'm still not back to my normal feeling self, but thank God that I can function now and have some days where I feel almost normal.
XOXO
SSekouB Guest
Edited
This is one of the best replies I have ever seen on here -- and I've read a lot of posts. Everything you said and suggested is spot-on. Thank you for that. I especially relate to the going to spend your remaining days with family, convinced that you'll be dead in months, minutes, moments! I cannot tell you how many unexpected visits from friends or out of town relatives, poignant moments with my kids or husband, or impromptu get-togethers I took as a sign that my death was imminent.
It is unbelievable what menopause does to the mind and body. It is an all-systems assault that leaves you absolutely sure that you cannot possibly survive it -- "Doctors are missing something", "the tests are a false positive", or "false negative", or whatever our mind makes up to corroborate with what our barrage of symptoms surely suggest. It is like nothing you have ever experienced, and nothing anyone can ever accurately describe. And yet, you've come as close as I think it is possible to come in accurately detailing what it is like.
We will get to the other side. The challenge is convincing our foggy, fatigued, anxiety-ridden minds and racing, palpitating hearts that we will.
Thank you, again, for your honest, sensitive, and reasonable words. They are bound to help others in the beginning stages of this journey, as well as those of us who are, hopefully, nearing the finish line.
Guest SSekouB
Edited
And your reply is the best response I've ever read here.
All-systems assault is the PERFECT way to describe it.
I went from specialist to specialist trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Was constantly told that I'm perfectly healthy. How could such a healthy woman feel so dreadful? It made no sense to me. I'm just relieved that I'm starting to come out the other side, and really thankful I was able to endure the torture.
Hope we all have a better 2019!
XO
rosemarie66 Guest
Edited
All i can say is THANK YOU!
This site helped me about a year ago.
I was having a hard time then and happened to find it.I check in now and then when i have a new symptom or feeling down. I imagined myself reading what you said when I was desperate I know your words would have made me feel better. So I'm thanking you for all those women you have and will help!!
CarolKelso Guest
Edited
Yes so agree with you. it is awful how we feel at times and words are inadequate. Thanks so sharing this. CK
llotenz55 crazybroad
Posted
HI, I can relate to a lot of your symptons, been to the ER last week also thinking i was having a heart attack, everything came back normal but scheduled an appt with cardiologist to be on the safe side.
both my OB and family dr tell me exercise is the best medicine but its hard when most days my joint hurts. I also have tingling lips but have been told thats aniexty,
praying this transition isnt too long for all of us suffering !!
claire38123 crazybroad
Edited
hi just read ur post i came across this site a few days ago googling what the hell was wrong with me i have all the same symptoms and like u said even more is so frightening what our bodies and brain do wen were going through the menopause iv just had bloods back saying iam peri menopausal and my anxiety and palps only started around christmas i was convinced i had something awful or i was gona have a heart attack hence googling and came across this wonderful site of amazing ladies who put my mind at ease straight the way even though iam still having all the bloody horrid symptoms sat ere at 5 in morning while everyone is still sound asleep its so good to read the posts and realize your not alone iv had some lovely replys to my first post and iam now on the right road to stop ,think and smile that iam not gona kick the bucket i just need to kick myself and this bloody menopause. we truly are not alone with each others help keep ur chin up xx
MissMarple18 crazybroad
Edited
Extraordinary, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to read this thread. I've been planning my funeral ! How can these hormonal changes create such diverse and all consuming symptoms ? More importantly - why don't our GPs help us more ? Back pain, rib pain, kidney ache, hip ache, loss of balance and general sense of doom. Nobody prepares you for this so therefore you jump to your own conclusions. Let me know how you're all doing x
CarolKelso MissMarple18
Edited
Glad you found us...Welcome and yes...no one prepares you but its not till you go through it that you will ever understand how this transition makes you feel....Hang tight and now you know we are here, you can check in and share when you need to
CK
claire38123 MissMarple18
Edited
I also fell upon this site at 3am in the morning while sat on sofa dripping in sweat, pounding heart ,dizzy and the most horrendous feeling of doom, what a difference its made to me in just a few days i have learned so much on how the menopause can put you in the gutter physically and most of all mentally and with all the posts and stories on this site you are truly not alone and the support is amazing xx
CaliforniaMel MissMarple18
Edited
I think because hormones are such a delicate balance, having two categories of them drop drastically can absolutely affect ALL our systems. It really makes sense, when you think about it. But it's so scary. It's actually kind of good to know we're not alone...IMO, anyway. It gets old having (usually male) doctors stare at us like we're nuts. We're not. This ish is real. Hugs, everybody! You're not alone.
CaliforniaMel crazybroad
Posted
The tingling, pain, etc. sound very much like something's actually"off" in your back. A disc out of alignment or something. Have you considered a chiropractor?
Have you had your blood pressure/cholesterol checked since then?